Showing Weakness
by JasmineRaven
Summary: "Yes, you are the offspring of a Frost Giant. Yes, you have committed some inexcusable crimes. Asgard may see you as a treacherous villain, however, I will always see you as my son. Nothing will change that. Not your words, nor your actions. I will always love you, Loki. Always." (Set between Avengers and Thor 2: The Dark World)


At first, the solitude and tranquillity had been rather nice. As time passed, however, Loki grew bored from the lack of excitement. Staring at the solid white walls of his cell could only provide limited entertainment. Though he did not like to admit it, the isolation from the outside world had provoked painful feelings of loneliness inside of him. For as long as he could remember, Loki had craved attention. Growing up, the glorious shadow of Thor became like a dark cloud hanging over his head. At last, by taking is schemes to the extreme, Loki had finally managed to gain the attention of not just his family, but an entire planet of lousy, simple-minded creatures.

_And that is why I am here now, _thought Loki, as he lay on his bed staring pointlessly at the ceiling. _I am imprisoned in his wretched cell because they all fear me! Even Odin, that moronic old man! _

Feeling the rage begin to surge through his Jötunn blood, Loki rose and grabbed one of the books sitting on the small wooden table, hoping that a bit of reading might help take his mind of things. His mother, feeling pity for her troubled son, had been kind enough to request that he have a few of his belongings brought to his cell. Sliding into a corner of the rectangular cell, Loki opened the book and began to read silently.

"I hope those books have provided you with at least some entertainment."

Loki looked up from his book to see his mother, Frigga, looking down at him. Of course, he knew Frigga was not visiting in the flesh, but by means of a holographic illusion made possible by her powers. "Yes," Loki answered softly. "Thank you, Mother."

Frigga lowered herself onto the floor beside her son. Despite Odin's disagreement, she'd made a habit of visiting Loki in his cell. Like everyone in Asgard, Frigga was disappointed in Loki's decisions, but she did not love him any less because of them. "Is all well, my Son?" she asked, concerned.

"Oh, yes. What is there not to like about imprisonment in a cell by your own family, who have been feeding you nothing but lies your entire life? What reason do I have for being wrathful? It is not as though I were on the brink of successfully ruling a realm when someone decided to induce my failure," Loki drawled, his menacing voice dripping with sarcasm.

Frigga reached out her hand to touch her son's shoulder. Though she could not physically touch him, she hoped Loki would appreciate her gesture. "Loki," she sighed, "why must you be so ambitious? You have always been an intelligent, powerful being. Why must you use your abilities to cause harm?"

Loki bit his lower lip and bowed his head, hiding his face from Frigga. Once he felt the stinging sensation of tears in his eyes, he knew his mask of confidence had crumbled, and the ice, like that of a Frost Giant, that encased his cold heart had melted. "… Because I am a monster," he mumbled after much hesitation. "I was born a monster, a prince of monsters. Is that not a good enough reason for you?" With that, Loki surrendered to his growing weakness and allowed to tears to fall.

"Oh, Loki," Frigga crooned, her own blue eyes filling with tears of sympathy.

"It is true, mother! You cannot deny it! You know what I am! All of Asgard knows what I am!" Loki shouted. Furiously, he rose to his feet and began pacing around the room.

"Loki, listen to me," Frigga spoke, her tone of voice both stern and comforting. "Yes, you are the offspring of a Frost Giant. Yes, you have committed some inexcusable crimes. Asgard may see you as a treacherous villain, however, I will always see you as my son. Nothing will change that. Not your words, nor your actions. I will always love you, Loki. Always."

Loki stopped pacing and sunk down to his knees, sobbing uncontrollably. For a moment, he felt a pang of guilt for his crimes. He longed for things to go back to the way they were many years ago, when he and Thor would fight each other playfully, when Odin would tell grand stories of Asgard's history, and when Frigga would devote her time to teach him her powers of illusion, a special skill for the two of them to share.

_Look at me, _Loki thought as he reminisced, _I have become as vulnerable as a child. I have become as worthless and weak as the mewling quims of Midgard. How did I allow this happen? _Wiping the tears from his eyes, Loki rose to his feet and turned to face Frigga. Just the smile on her face was enough to comfort him. Her presence reminded him that he was loved. She was the only person he could freely show his weakness in front of. "Thank you for your visit, mother," he said softly. "Please come again soon."

Frigga smiled lovingly at her son. "Of course. Take care, Loki." With that, her holographic illusion form disappeared, leaving Loki alone once more.

Loki grabbed his book and returned to his corner once more. With his mind and heart swimming with emotions, it was almost impossible to concentrate on what he was reading. The words on the page became like meaningless arrangements of letters that his mind could not process. Suddenly, the familiar clank of the armour of the Asgardian prison guards echoed down the halls of the dungeons. An Asgardian prison guard, dressed in his gold and silver-plated armour, complete with a traditional horned helmet, holding his shield in one hand and tall spear in the other, wandered past Loki's cell. As he peered into the cell, a smirk instantly spread across his face; he was clearly amused to see the powerful Loki shedding tears. Embarrassed, Loki immediately used his powers of illusion to hide the tears.

_This stupid cell will not hold me forever, _Loki thought as wicked, scheming ideas entered his mind once more. _The God of Mischief will be back to cause trouble soon enough. They'll see …_


End file.
